LET THE LOWER LIGHTS BE BURINING

         Now I am not a sailor and I have never been on a cruise or in a boat at sea at night, so I am not really qualified to talk about sailing terms.  But I am told that years ago, before sonar, radar and other technological instruments were available, that sailors depended upon things like lighthouses and lower lights to safely enter a harbor, especially suring storms or at night.  Among other things, lower lights would serve as channel markers and show where the boat could safely sail.  One of the great evangelists of the ninettenth century, the Rev. Dwight L. Moody (1837-1899) talked about these things in a story that he quite often shared in his messages. Moody told of a ship nearing the Lake Erie harbor at Cleveland, Ohio on a stormy night when the waves were high.  Seeing only the light from one lighthouse, the ship's captain asked the pilot, "Are you sure this is Cleveland?"   "Quite sure," replied the pilot. "But," said the captain, "Where are the lower lights, the lights along the shore?" The pilot replied calmly, "They've gone out sir."  He assured the captain that they could make the harbor and he turned the ship's wheel. But in the darkness they missed the channel and crashed upon the bar, resulting in the deaths of many of the ship's crew and passengers. With this illustration Moody concluded his sermon by saying, "The Master will take care of the Great Lighthouse, but it is up to us to keep the Lower Lights burning."  Philip P. Bliss who had been directing the music at the service, listened intently to Moody's sermon. Almost immediately after the service he penned the words and the music to a hymn that he titled  Let the Lower Lights Be Burning. The hymn was first published in 1871 and eventually the song gained in popularity, even at inland churches where the people knew nothing about lighthouses. And it was soon known by millions of Americans.  In modern times, popular recording artists such as Tennessee Ernie Ford and even Johnny Cash recorded the hymn. But other than some of the gospel singers of today who occasionally perform the song, it is largely forgotten today.  Joni Erickson, in sharing about this hymn said "God is the lighthouse and we are his lower lights.  We point the way, we show where it's safe to go.  I hope, I trust, I pray I am still doing what my father told me to do - I'm still being a lower light, a channel marker, pointing others where it's safe to go. With God as the lighthouse, friend, I'm going to tell you something: you are a lower light. And I want you to join me and marking the way so that others might see where safe harbor is. Because the times are stormy and the winds of change and adversity are blowing hard - it doesn't surprise me (does it you?) That so many believers are being blown off course these days? keep your lower light burning, friend.  Send your beam across the wave, because some poor fainting, struggling seaman, you - through Jesus Christ - may save."   And what more can I add to Joni's comments and challenge.  Think about them this week.

    1.    Brightly beams our Father's mercy,

From His lighthouse evermore,

But to us He gives the keeping

Of the lights along the shore.

Let the lower lights be burning!

Send a gleam across the wave!

Some poor *fainting, struggling seaman

You may rescue, you may save.

2.    Dark the night of sin has settled,

Loud the angry billows roar;

Eager eyes are watching, longing,

For the lights along the shore.

Let the lower lights be burning!

Send a gleam across the wave!

Some poor fainting, struggling seaman

You may rescue, you may save.

  

    3.    Trim your feeble lamp, my brother;

Some poor sailor, tempest-tossed,

Trying now to make the harbor,

In the darkness may be lost.

Let the lower lights be burning!

Send a gleam across the wave!

Some poor fainting, struggling seaman

You may rescue, you may save.

You can listen to it here.   LISTEN

I AM TRUSTING THEE LORD JESUS

          Who can you really trust today?  Politicians make promises that they don't keep.  Scammers are active on the internet and by phone trying to steal our identity.  Drug companies make promises about their products that don't always work.  Sales people and customer service reps can't always be trusted or depended on.  Even many so-called pastors and evangelists deceive us by twisting  scripture.  And sometimes even our friends and family members let us down.  Unfortunately, we live in an age where a person's word often means nothing.  But in this dark world we do have One, the Lord Jesus Christ and His written word, the Bible that we can depend upon.  He has promised never to leave us nor forsake us.  And He never has and never will.  "Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is." Jeremiah 17:7.   The Bible tells us that we can and should put our trust in Him.  Proverbs 3:5, 6, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not upon your own understanding.  In ALL your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your ways."  Are we trusting Him in all of our ways?  Frances R. Havergal (1836-1879) was the daughter of hymnist and preacher William Havergal.  She was very talented, learning to read by age four, and writing verses at age seven.  In her girlhood days she knew the whole of the New Testament, the Psalms, and Isaiah by heart, and afterwards memorized the Minor Prophets .  Early she learned  French, German, Italian, Latin, Greek and Hebrew and daily she read the Old and New Testaments in the originals.  She apparently inherited musical ability from her father who was a man of education as well as piety and was known for his musical adeptness. Frances herself wrote hundreds of hymns, some of which are loved and still sung by Christians around the world today. She was concerned to write beautiful and memorable words joined with good music, and she was even more committed to writing hymns that clearly expressed biblical truth.  Her health was precarious, and at times she suffered painfully from disease. But her Christian trust was supreme over every trial. She died of peritonitis near Caswell Bay on the Gower Peninsula in Wales at the young age of 42.  It is said that out of her many hundred songs which she composed, her favorite was "I Am Trusting Thee Lord Jesus."   It was found in her Bible after her death.  It is interesting that with all of her education and learning, after all the trials and difficulty that she faced during her brief life, her favorite composition shared the key of her testimony of her faith in Christ.  He was the one she could trust.  150 years later He still is the only one that we can trust to be with us and guide us and strengthen us in the challenges of everyday living.  This week I was looking for a hymn that would express my testimony and trust as I face a difficult surgery this week.  Many of my favorites have already been shared in this blog over the years and I try not to repeat them.  And as I searched, the Lord led me to this hymn of trust.  And my testimony as I face the unknown is, "I am trusting Thee, Lord Jesus, trusting only Thee."  I do have to trust the surgeon and the nursing staff, but I Know it is the Lord who controls them and controls my life and in Him I trust.  Is that your testimony this week?  Do you trust Him for pardon, for cleansing, for guidance, for power and for his daily presence and provision?  He can be trusted ... forever.

1.    I am trusting Thee, Lord, Jesus,

Trusting only Thee;

Trusting Thee for full salvation,

Great and free.

2.     I am trusting Thee for pardon;

At Thy feet I bow;

For Thy grace and tender mercy,

Trusting now.

3.     I am trusting Thee for cleansing

In the crimson flood;

Trusting Thee to make me holy

By Thy blood.

4.     I am trusting Thee to guide me;

Thou alone shalt lead;

Every day and hour supplying

All my need.

5.     I am trusting Thee for power,

Thine can never fail;

Words which Thou Thyself shalt give me

Must prevail.

6.     I am trusting Thee, Lord Jesus;

Never let me fall;

I am trusting Thee forever,

And for all.

Listen to it being sung here.  LISTEN

Here is also a lovely piano version.   PIANO

A SHELTER IN THE TIME OF STORM

          Raging forest fires, earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, tornados, and violent storms ... we have certainly recently seen the devastation caused by weather around the world.  People have lost their lives and their homes and possessions and have had to seek shelter and protection from these natural events.  It is so sad to watch these folks struggle against these elements and their results.  But there are many of us today who don't make the headlines as we also struggle for shelter in the onslaught of our personal storms whether they be physical, financial, job related, family related or emotional battles.  These storms happen to all of us in varying degrees throughout our life and we need a rock, a shelter, a defense to depend upon in these weary, troubling times.  The Psalmist, like us, faced these storms himself and his writings have been a comfort to many of us over the years.  "To You I will cry, O LORD my Rock" (Ps. 28:1). "The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold" (Ps. 18:2). "He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved …. In God is my salvation and my glory; the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God" (Ps. 62:2, 7). "The LORD has been my defense, and my God the rock of my refuge" (Ps. 94:22).  Vernon J. Charlesworth (1838 - 1915) was a British pastor who later became administrator of Charles Spurgeon's orphanage.  He wrote the words to this week's hymn choice in 1880 based on Psalms 32:7, "Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance." Someone then set his words to music. Ira D. Sankey later composed the familiar tune to the hymn. According to his account, "I found this hymn in a small paper published in London, called "The Postman." It was said to be a favorite song of the fishermen on the north coast of England, and they were often heard singing it as they approached their harbours in the time of storm. As the hymn was set to a weird minor tune, I decided to compose one that would be more practical, one that could be more easily sung by the people."  And so, thanks to Charlesworth and Sankey, we have this wonderful hymn which has been a favorite and a help to thousands over the past century.  Now I don't know what storm you might be going through today. It might seem hopeless and devastating. I know that I am facing one right now and that might be why the Lord led me to this hymn this week.  I would encourage you to put your trust and confidence in the Lord today.  He will be your strength, defense and shelter in the toughest  of storms.  He will be a Rock in a truly weary land.  Our shelter in the time of storm.  Meditate on these words this week and claim them as your hope and confidence.

1      The Lord's our Rock; in Him we hide,

A Shelter in the time of storm;

Secure whatever ill betide,

A Shelter in the time of storm.

O Jesus is a Rock in a weary land,

A weary land, a weary land;

O Jesus is a Rock in a weary land -

A Shelter in the time of storm.

2     A Shade by day, Defense by night,

A Shelter in the time of storm;

No fears alarm, no foes affright,

A Shelter in the time of storm. 

O Jesus is a Rock in a weary land,

A weary land, a weary land;

O Jesus is a Rock in a weary land -

A Shelter in the time of storm.

3      The raging storms may round us beat,

A Shelter in the time of storm;

We'll never leave our safe retreat,

A Shelter in the time of storm. 

O Jesus is a Rock in a weary land,

A weary land, a weary land;

O Jesus is a Rock in a weary land -

A Shelter in the time of storm.

4      O Rock Divine, O Refuge dear,

A Shelter in the time of storm;

Be Thou our Helper ever near,

A Shelter in the time of storm.

O Jesus is a Rock in a weary land,

A weary land, a weary land;

O Jesus is a Rock in a weary land -

A Shelter in the time of storm.

Listen to this hymn here.   LISTEN

COME YE DISCONSOLATE

        Irish poet Thomas Moore (1779-1852) was also a lawyer and public servant, as well as an Irish nationalist. He wrote two secular songs – popular ballads that are still recorded today, nearly two centuries later - The Last Rose of Summer, and Believe Me, If All Those Endearing Young Charms.  The history of the latter song shows something about the character of Moore.   Apparently his wife contracted smallpox. Though she recovered, she was so disfigured by the disease that she refused to be seen by anyone, including her husband. In his sorrow, the author wrote a song to assure her of his love, no matter how she looked. After she heard him sing his song outside her room, she opened the door and gratefully fell into his arms. The song says: "Believe me, if all those endearing young charms, which I gaze on so fondly today, were to change by tomorrow and flee from my arms, like fairy gifts fading away. Thou wouldst still be adored, as this moment thou art. Let thy loveliness fade as it will;  And around the dear ruin each wish of my heart would entwine itself verdantly still."  We don't know, but maybe his wife's experience with smallpox influenced Moore to write this week's hymn choice. He and his wife certainly knew what it felt like to be disconsolate. But one writer called Moore "one of the strangest of all men to write hymns." The son of a Dublin grocer, Moore was educated at Trinity College in Dublin, but he could not graduate because he was Roman Catholic. After a short career in government, he devoted himself to writing and became known as the "Voice of Ireland."   Many were surprised when Moore published his "Sacred Song-Duets" in 1824. "Come, Ye Disconsolate," which was originally titled "Relief in Prayer," has undergone some revision since Moore wrote it, but the original version contained the same message. Thomas Hastings (1784-1872) dropped Moore's original third stanza, replacing it with one of his own.  But this is a great hymn of comfort, encouragement for the disconsolate in the face of sorrow and loss.  In Matthew 11:28-30 we are comforted by the words of Jesus "Come unto Me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me;  for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light."  In Hebrews 4:14-16 we are reminded that through Christ, our High Priest, there is "mercy and ... grace to help in time of need," and we are told to "come boldly" before the throne and seek it.  Are you carrying a heavy burden today?  Are you discouraged and overwhelmed?  If so be assured that "earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot heal".

1.   Come, ye disconsolate, where'er ye languish,

Come to the mercy seat, fervently kneel.

Here bring your wounded hearts, here tell your anguish;

Earth has no sorrow that heav'n cannot heal.

2.   Joy of the desolate, light of the straying,

Hope of the penitent, fadeless and pure!

Here speaks the Comforter, tenderly saying,

"Earth has no sorrow that heav'n cannot cure."

3.   Here see the bread of life, see waters flowing

Forth from the throne of God, pure from above.

Come to the feast of love; come, ever knowing

Earth has no sorrow but heav'n can remove.

You can listen to it being sung here.   LISTEN